Motor-efficiency indicator



Feb. 4, 1930.. H TAYLOR MOTOR EFFIC lENGY INDICATOR Filed May 25, 1929 INVENTOR '35 of an automobile.

4o-'the motor power. indicator.

Patented Feb. 4, `19370 j i i l I, i Y. Y

f UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE Moron-'EFFICIENCY INDICATOR i .Application filed May 23, 1929. Seria1.No.365,502.

This invention relatesto an indicatorwhich Y having "a graduated series of number plates checks the performance of a motor `driven 3 indicating various speeds at miles perV vehicle with anideal standardforthat `parhour that may be `moved along the dial and Y ticular vehicle.v j y 7 adj-usted to the ideal performance of said It relates to amotor'power meter which vehicle relative to the position of hand 2 55 indicates on a dial with adjustable numbers which is operated around the face of the dial thel performancek ofthe vehicle relative to by cable 4 secured to the throttle control 5 a previous setting ofthe dial. of the fuel for said vehicle, and compared 1t relates `further to a vregistering.dwi-icze with the ,speed as Vshown on the speedometer 10 Which is adjustedto the ideal performance (notshow-n on drawings). 60

of amotordriven vehicle to which standard Frame 1 has two flanges 13 and l?)a ex#v future performancesjmay be comparedby Vtending downwardfwith apertures 14 and the operation of saidl device. 14a in alignment. Through said apertures 1 4l Itrelates to'amotor vehicle performance and 714iL a horizontal extension of' hand 2v 15 indicator, having a dial with 'adjustable extends through and Vis rotatable in said 65V A graduated numbers indicating various speeds apertures. Said hand 2 is operated by means in miles per hour, adjusted to an ideal perof a spiral twist in its horizontal section 8 formance of said motor. vehicle 'to which responding .to aslot in the flange 15 of opfuture performances may be compared by an erating slide 9' which is vdrawn through and '20 indicating hand on said indicator, and operguided by slot'16 in flange 13av of frame 1 by able by means of the throttle connect-ion meanslof ycable 4 when laccelerator 12 moves which controls the fuel supply. throttle 2O on carburetor 19 by rod 5 to whichv My rinvention relates to an indicating device cable 4 is attached, and reciprocated back and anda method of determining whether a motor forward by l spring 11l land .cable 4 accord- '25 ldriven vehicle to which it is applied is pering to the power desired. v j forming at itsV best efliciency. j Figure 4'illustrates an vindicator' made of a Various other novel features and construcflat cylinder rotatable about vertical axis 8*. tions will appear as an understandingof the The adjustable numbers are located around v invention is had from the following descripthe surface ofthe cylinder, which is operable tion taken in connection with the accompanyrelative to index` point 2a by means of cable 8D.- ing drawings, inwhich Y Y connection with the throttle control, and re- Figure 1 is a side elevation of the installaturnyspring 11?. Y tion of a motor power indicator in accordance lI do not limit my invention to the .operate with my invention, on a Vfragmental section ing mechanism shown in figures on the draw- Figure 2 is a front elevation of the dial with ment or the lever movement of Figure 4. The graduated adjustabley numbers and index desired movement may be obtained by gears, hand of my invention. y levers, ratchets, pulleys, etc. or by the hand Figure 3 is aside sectional elevation of accelerator indicating on an adjustable dial the position of the Athrottle (not shown), j f 90 Figure 4 is a different construction ofthe To roperate my invention, it is properly inindicator in which the dialturns on its verstalled on a motor driven vehicle, ythe dial tical axis and the indicating hand remains mechanism'is secured by clamp or boltstothe f stationary. sill .of the vinstrument board, and the cableA 4 Like reference characters refer to like parts is securedto the throttle control so that the ,95'

in the different iigures of the drawings. The movement ofhand 2 corresponds tothe moveindicator frame 1 is installed at some easily ment of the throttle, and is sensitive thereto. visible location as onthe instrument board 7 Then the condition of theV automobile must of an automobile, said frame 1 forms a dial be at its best,-free of carbon, valves right, 'QO here shown in the shape of an semi-circle, carburetor properly adjusted, spark plugs and ing, as the spiral bar 8 and slot 17 'move- 85 Y ut-k terminals correct, brakes free, lubrication and timing accurata-a good grade of gasoline chosen, the car warmed up to its ideal running condition. The car is then driven along a level road at certain chosen speeds and the corresponding numbers 3 on dial l moved to register with the hand 2 at their respective speeds, as shown on a speedometer. To illustrate, drive twenty miles an hour, according to speedometer, without slowing or accelerating, move number 2O so that its center line .will register with point of hand 2. Do the same with other numbers at their respective speeds. Thissetting of the dial will be considered tlie ideal performance of the particular car on which it is installed, and the standard to which later performance is checked by means of this invention of the motor power indicator.' This indicator will show on the dial any lack of power for a particular car at the various chosen speeds. If carbon has lowered its motor efficiency, ifv spark plugs, wiring, or valves are bad, if poor gasoline has been put in, if brakes are dragging, or anything has crept in to lower the efficiency of the car, it can be at once noticed by comparing the speedometer reading with the reading of the indicator, under similar conditions at which the indicator was set.

-What I claim and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

l. A registering device installed on the instrument board of an automobile, comprising a frame forminga dial on which graduated numbers are manually adjustable, Vand flanges supporting a rotatable element which operates the index liand on said dial by having a spiral section which responds to a longitudinal movement of an enclosing slot operated by a cable to the throttle control onthe carburetor and returned by means of a coil spring around said spiral section of the hand operating element. f

2. An indicator of the performance of a motor driven Vehicle with various fuels, under differing engine conditions, etc., comprising a fixed element and a movable-element disposed adjacent one another so that their relative position is apparent to the operator of the vehicle, a shiftable index on one of said elements, and mechanism connected to and actuated by the fuel throttle of said vehicle to cause relative motion indicated by said index between said elements in proportion to the extent of movement of said throttle.

3. An indicator of the performance of a motor driven vehicle with various fuels, under differingY engine conditions, etc., comprising a dial, a hand mounted for movement over said dial, an index adjustably connected to said dial so that it may be shifted with respect thereto to show the position of said hand for a selected standard condition of said vehicle, and mechanism operatively connectingl said hand to the Yfuel 'control'mechanism of said engine whereby the position of said hand will vary in accordance with the rate of fuel feed and may readily be compared with said standard shown by said index.

4. The method of giving the operator of a motor vehicle a visible indication of the performance of his vehicle, which consists' in providing a dial where it may readily be seen by said operator, indicating on said dial the position of an element of the fuel control mechanism at-a predetermined speed under lconditions selected as standard and making a comparison between the position of said element with respect to said indication on the dial'and the indicated speed kof the vehicle under differing fuel motor or vehicle conditions.- L. f

5. The method of giving the operator of a motor vehicle a visible indication of the performance of hispvehicle, which consists in providing a dial where it mayyreadily be seen by said operator observing the rate of speed of the vehicle under certain fuel, motor and 'vehicle conditions, indicating on said dial the'position of an element of the fuel control mechanism, at said rate of speed, and making a comparison between the position of said element with respect to said indicationV on the dial and the speed of the vehicle under differing fuel, motor or vehicle conditions.

In testimony whereof, I aiix my signature.

VHUSTON TAYLOR. 

